Wildcats take on Blues, need separation in NWC standings | https://golinfieldwildcats.com/
Wildcats take on Blues, need separation in NWC standings | https://golinfieldwildcats.com/
Wildcats take on Blues, need separation in NWC standings
THE RECORDS
Linfield enters the weekend at 8-9 overall with an even 5-5 Northwest Conference record. Whitman is 11-6 overall and 3-3 in NWC play.
LINFIELD AT A GLANCE
The Wildcats have won four of their last five games since their series loss at Puget Sound. They're coming off a 7-3 win over Pacific Lutheran in Wednesday's makeup game that saw every batter in the lineup get a hit.
The designated hitter spot in the lineup is Cameron Skinner's to lose. The senior leads the team with a .369 batting average to go with a .446 on-base percentage. Jake Hoskins is batting .347 with 26 hits. Hoskins and Nick Holm have three home runs apiece. Holm has driven in 15 runs.
Following multiple injuries to the pitching staff, Gavin Ludlow may be emerging as Linfield's new closer. He has appeared in eight games in relief, posting a 1.65 ERA with 15 strikeouts. A 1.86 ERA from Aidan McCann has also brought life to the bullpen this season. Casey Struckmeier is 2-1 on the mound and has thrown five innings twice in his three starts.
WHITMAN AT A GLANCE
The Blues are batting .293 as a team, outscoring their opponents, 121-93. Jack Bickerton is batting .408 with a .456 on-base percentage and a .761 slugging percentage. He leads the team with 29 hits and shares the team lead with Ben Parker with six home runs and 22 RBI. Parker's .500 on-base percentage leads the Blues. Garrett Runyan is right behind Bickerton and Parker with five homers. Mateus Conaway (1.42) and Julien Hernandez (1.85) both have ERAs under 2.00. Hernandez is 4-0 with 49 strikeouts. He has limited opposing batters to a .194 batting average.
THE SERIES
The all-time series between Linfield and Whitman is lopsided. The Wildcats are 149-28 against the Blues. That record includes 58 straight wins between 2002 and 2019. The 'Cats are 75-15 against the Blues in away games. The 'Cats swept the season series in 2022, outscoring the Blues, 29-5, in the three games.
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